I have come across the concept of karma yoga while learning about EA and I have some questions about how the soul recognizes and performs one's "right work." In particular, how does karma yoga relate to one's natural talents or skills?

I've read that in karma yoga, the soul should not focus on the nature or outcome of one's work--but simply perform the work with a selfless attitude of loving service to others. In short, it doesn't matter what your job is--just do it with love.

However, I also read (in the material on karma yoga) that the soul may have a longing to do certain work or pursue special talents. In that case, it does matter what kind of work you do.

How can one reconcile these seemingly contradictory ideas? I can identify with both of them through personal experience.

If a person manifests special talents with ease at an early age and feels called to pursue them throughout life, does this indicate in some way the divine intention for one's life work? If so, how can one use them in a way that honors karma yoga?

It seems to me that first of all, one would definitely need to release any need to be praised as unique or talented. One would also need to give up any desire for a particular prestigious position, success, or financial reward. I think that if a person needs to learn these lessons in a given lifetime, blocks are put in their way. It can seem at first like the blocks may be "signs" that the person shouldn't pursue his/her talents. But it may not be that simple. It may be that one must learn to express these talents in a different way or with the right attitude. I believe that you can use any talent to help others in practical and spiritual ways.

Isn't there a sense that one is "supposed to be" doing something?--and I don't mean what the consensus says. When you're pursuing your passion, there is such flow--it's like you can literally feel a divine communion--sometimes it feels like channeling. I'm not a medium but I don't know how else to describe it. When you've ignored it for a while, you feel an angst in your belly, a sense of death and natural guilt as if you're wasting your life.

I've been thinking a lot about the Virgo archetype of service over the past few years. When you have a real desire to change your life and make things right with God, you develop a strong desire to pursue work that helps others in meaningful ways. You begin to appreciate the value in any kind of simple work and you learn the value of humility. But this can also make it tempting to ignore one's talents out of a feeling that one does not deserve work that one enjoys with passion. This is all the more true when it is hard to see the practical value in one's particular gifts. For example, what role do artists (of any medium) play in our spiritual evolution? How can they practice karma yoga? There is so much work to do in the world. There is a need to heal the environment, resolve economic inequalities, heal the sick, promote social justice, educate the children...the list goes on. Even when you've freed your mind of consensus attitudes, you can feel incredibly conflicted--to do this or that? Which is the better way to serve?

Maybe a preoccupation with "practicality" is an unhealthy expression of Virgo. Then I think of Pisces which plays a role in this duet of service. Pisces is all about spirituality and letting go into the waves, God himself. Neptune also rules imagery, visions, ecstatic experience, and in this way connects to the arts. I've often wondered that the arts could serve as vehicles to connect with the divine and to heal the soul. In that sense they seem very "practical" in the way that spirituality is practical. But then I think we're talking about a different definition of the term. We usually think of practical in terms of real tangible benefits. But what about something that benefits the greater good, the divine will? It may not seem practical in physical terms but in spiritual terms it can be downright essential.

I realize that one can have more than one job at once, including jobs that help us fulfill our responsibility to take care of ourselves and pay the bills.

Perhaps I am answering my own question. Does anyone have any thoughts on this or personal experience with it? What does karma yoga mean to you? How do you manifest it in your own life?

I´d like to reply to you as someone who has also gone thru some of the same things you are describing.

First, in this world we live in, it´s very easy to feel pressured in all sorts of ways as society or others in general judge everything, relative to what one should and should not do. For example, if you are good at painting you MUST share it with the world or if you are a good musician you just HAVE to touch others with your music and so on. Then of course there is the need to make money and some will have it easier than others to integrate in the rat race. If you have the chance to do things that you like and believe in, that can also benefit others, and make a living from, would make you a "lucky" person from the perspective of the consensus.

Relative to your natural gifts, these are sometimes things that have been developed prior to this life and, are carried over into this life or, just things you have a natural attunement to and thus appreciate. It´s great to develop our natural talents further and share them with others but what I´m trying to say is to not allow others to pressure you with a sense of guilt with what you should be doing. Unless of course you know deep down you are truly wasting your life in some way.

I don´t know much about karma yoga. I do know that in order to do something well, one has to believe in it and that in order to serve others one doesn´t have to be a Nurse, Social worker, Reiki master or Astrologer etc. It´s about being open to the moment and what is necessary in our current circumstantial realities from moment to moment. Helping the person cross the street, being compassionate with ourselves and others, being hard when we need to, caring and so on.

One can develop talents that we enjoy too, enjoyment and pure feeling is also a way to be in harmony with our surroundings or universe, it´s good to be passionate about a hobby as it´s an expression of love in one form or another. Just enjoying yourself in the moment is also giving to God or the Universe. Why should´t you also enjoy yourself?

I think if your intentions are pure and you want to be closer to the Source and do good, then all will fall in place. From the perspective of the Ego, nothing will ever be right or perfect or enough. Just go with the flow and trust your own intentions.

Karma yoga simply means, it's very essence, to use the vehicle of one's work to access the inner godhead in such a way that the very nature of the work is then inspired or directed by the Source Of All Things. Thus, the nature of the work can be anything. The consciousness of the Soul then naturally expands, inwardly, because of accessing and orientating to the nature of the work in this way.

This is very different than the Soul's 'right work' in any given life wherein at specific points, lives, in the ongoing evolutionary journey of the Soul it becomes an evolutionary imperative to actualize a specific kind of work that will then accelerate that evolutionary journey.

I think I understand what you mean. So "karma yoga" is essentially the attitude one applies to any task or job, to do that work with sincere effort and the intention to use it as a vehicle to serve and love others--without attachment to perfection or expectation of praise or reward. I can envision how this should feel. In our personal lives, there are always tasks to do that seem tedious or annoying--but we are responsible for taking care of ourselves and our living spaces. Instead of doing a task out of drudgery or impatience, we can choose to slow down and live in the present moment, and even find enjoyment in the task. I find that such times are excellent opportunities for active meditation when insights can come into your mind and you can work through emotions objectively. It reminds me of a story about a Buddhist monk who asked his Zen master how to attain enlightenment, and the master replied, "Chop wood, carry water."

In the same way, we can apply this to our job--and it can prove to teach a real lesson in recognizing and dealing with our expectations. For example, you can pour your heart and soul into a job or career with all the right intentions--and it may all go wrong. And then you may find yourself in a simple job totally unrelated to your training--and quite unexpectedly you may find ways to use your abilities and touch others' lives in little ways--and you may enjoy this work even more.

But just to clarify one little point--sometimes in life duties are thrust upon us which we must attend to--and when so doing, it is better to do so with the right attitude that effects karma yoga. On the other hand, we also have the freedom to choose NOT to do certain tasks or take certain jobs which completely contradict our personal Truth and would compromise our integrity. A hypothetical example might be an unemployed vegetarian who refuses to work at a meat factory even though they're the only local company offering positions--so the vegetarian must look elsewhere for a job. Am I understanding this correctly?

Rad, when you use the term "right work" in your second point, are you speaking of vocational direction intended for a given life as indicated by the 6th & 10th houses, the Sun, or even the 12th house (Maurice Fernandez's theory)? And that one's "right work" is integrated with the "soul work" one must learn in a given lifetime--as indicated by the natal chart and transits, progressions, etc.? I understand the idea--I just want to make sure I'm using the terminology correctly.

I think I understand what you mean. So "karma yoga" is essentially the attitude one applies to any task or job, to do that work with sincere effort and the intention to use it as a vehicle to serve and love others--without attachment to perfection or expectation of praise or reward. I can envision how this should feel. In our personal lives, there are always tasks to do that seem tedious or annoying--but we are responsible for taking care of ourselves and our living spaces. Instead of doing a task out of drudgery or impatience, we can choose to slow down and live in the present moment, and even find enjoyment in the task. I find that such times are excellent opportunities for active meditation when insights can come into your mind and you can work through emotions objectively. It reminds me of a story about a Buddhist monk who asked his Zen master how to attain enlightenment, and the master replied, "Chop wood, carry water."

In the same way, we can apply this to our job--and it can prove to teach a real lesson in recognizing and dealing with our expectations. For example, you can pour your heart and soul into a job or career with all the right intentions--and it may all go wrong. And then you may find yourself in a simple job totally unrelated to your training--and quite unexpectedly you may find ways to use your abilities and touch others' lives in little ways--and you may enjoy this work even more.

But just to clarify one little point--sometimes in life duties are thrust upon us which we must attend to--and when so doing, it is better to do so with the right attitude that effects karma yoga. On the other hand, we also have the freedom to choose NOT to do certain tasks or take certain jobs which completely contradict our personal Truth and would compromise our integrity. A hypothetical example might be an unemployed vegetarian who refuses to work at a meat factory even though they're the only local company offering positions--so the vegetarian must look elsewhere for a job. Am I understanding this correctly?

Rad, when you use the term "right work" in your second point, are you speaking of vocational direction intended for a given life as indicated by the 6th & 10th houses, the Sun, or even the 12th house (Maurice Fernandez's theory)? And that one's "right work" is integrated with the "soul work" one must learn in a given lifetime--as indicated by the natal chart and transits, progressions, etc.? I understand the idea--I just want to make sure I'm using the terminology correctly.

Thanks,

Jen

Hi Jen,

When it becomes an evolutionary imperative to actualize the right work for the Soul the EA symbols that indicate this can be many. When it is indicated the symbols for this will be within the natal chart of birth. There is no need to comment on the work on anyone else. This message board is to help teach and learn the EA of JWG.